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Jun 28, 2009

MOSAIC MONDAY- IT'S NOT THERE?

I see that Mary from Little Red House is not around for hosting Mosaic Monday this week. Too bad because I already made up my mosaics for the week. What to do, what to do?
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Most of you know I was on Vancouver Island last week visiting family. I stayed with my sister and brother in law and as usual was treated like a queen. They have worked so hard on their beautiful garden and I wanted to share it with all of you.They built this house and started the garden from a blank slate. The amount of work my brother in law has done is astounding. That is my room on the right. Ya I know they let other people stay there but really it is my room. My bro in law did all the brickwork above. That is a raised veggie bed on the top right. There is a bird living in the planters in the top middle picture and on the left is the back view of their water feature that entices the birds to bathe.They have a potting shed which gets lots of use and also hides the lawn mowers to the side of it behind the lattice work. The entire back of the property is planted with wonderful tree specimens many of which were very small when planted. They are now tall and full. Most of the garden is edged with a concrete curb.My brother in law lugged every one of those rocks home and placed them one by one up the little slope to the back deck and the house. Truck load after truck load. I get tired just thinking about it. This rockery is home to a real variety of plants, japanese maples, poppies, grasses, lilies, irises, coreopsis to name a few.There are so many different special spots in the garden, one more lovely than the next. I think one of my favorites is the bench at the side of the house.There is a fantastic view from everywhere in their yard. Just look at the mountains. They grow some pretty delicious veggies every year. Tomatoes, zucchini, beans, squash, garlic, cucumbers and some others too.I have told you before about holding a hummingbird in my hands but I am not alone. My brother in law has held one that flew into his garage. They have a lot of them in their yard. Can you see the little one on the honeysuckle vine? Click on the picture to enlarge it. See him. We were only about 3 feet away but he didn't care. Here is a front view of the little fountain. Boy the birds love that trickling water. There is a non stop flow of them splashing and drinking.
I have to tell you there is not a weed to be found in this yard nor are there any dead blossoms hanging around waiting to be dead headed. Not on his watch! I love their garden and I think they do to. They should be very proud of all their hard work.

10 comments:

This is paradise, really. It could be a botanical garden and I so envy that mountain view. I know how much work goes into grounds as beautiful as this and I applaud them. The house is lovely. You must feel like you are at a resort when you stay there. XOLucy

That is my kind of garden. Everything looks orderly and in its place. I say that is my kind of garden because that is the kind I LIKE. However, I have NO garden because I HATE garde WORK - - - and you can't have the one without the other!!!

How bautiful!! It's great you did a mosaic because there is so much more to see this way. This garden requires a lot of hard work & love and I think it is getting both... Don't you just love hanging out there??

Oh wow Lori -- that is incredible! I have serious Garden Lust. I can't let my own scraggly excuse for a garden catch sight of these mosaics -- my own poor plants will pack up their roots and move to Vancouver!

This is just beyond perfect, couldn't they have left a few weeds here and there? It wouldn't be such an impossible inspiration then!

The rockery is seriously impressive and the Japanese maple is in superb condition for early summer - I can't see a single scorched leaf.

I write a blog on growing Japanese maples and I have two upcoming articles on rockeries and automatic irrigation; I'd love to use the picture of the rockery and the maple in the pot with your permission. I would be more than happy to link back to this post from each article.

Thank you for sharing, what a beautiful garden and home. Sort of a mini-Butchart Gardens. My sister frows rare and exotic plants at her home in Salem, Oregon. The Pacific Northwest certainly is perfect for so many beautiful trees, flowers and shrubs. Now that I live in New Mexico, I must make due with xeric plants, but the wildflowers here are truly spectacular and all the more valued in this arid land.